


Manifest Gedanes

by lextenou



Series: Manifest Gedanes [3]
Category: The 100 (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, As Much Swearing As There Should Have Been From the Start, Canon-Typical Violence, Everybody Lives, F/F, Grounder Raven Reyes, Minor Clarke Griffin/Lexa
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-11-12
Updated: 2017-11-12
Packaged: 2019-02-01 03:33:27
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,746
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12696453
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lextenou/pseuds/lextenou
Summary: Finally returning home, Raven kom Trikru and Abby Griffin discover just what they stumbled across whilst traipsing through Trikru lands.Predicated on the idea that Raven Reyes was born a Grounder and the subsequent changes this would cause, and the underlying principle of "I recognize that canon has made a decision. As this was a stupid decision, I have decided to disregard canon."





	Manifest Gedanes

**Author's Note:**

> gedanes: unity  
> kom Trikru: of the Woods Clan  
> Polis: formerly Baltimore. Seat of the Commander of the Coalition of Clans, and location of the Commander's Tower.  
> Wanheda: Commander of Death. Clarke Griffin.  
> Heda: Commander. Lexa.  
> hod up: stop  
> lukot: friend  
> goufa: child  
> Shallow Valley: located in primarily Georgia and neighboring parts of Alabama and Florida.  
> gona: warrior  
> Tondisi: formerly Washington, D.C.  
> Plains Riders: farthest west clan. Occupies areas of Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, Nebraska and Missouri.  
> Skaikru: Sky clan. The people from the Ark.  
> splita: outsider, outcast  
> sha: yes  
> Kapa: city or sir  
> Maun-de: Mount Weather. Formerly Mount Weather Emergency Operations Center in Northern Virginia.  
> ripa: murderer, killer. Those who were taken by the Mountain and turned against their people.  
> fossopa: scout

Beyond the lilting chatter of the small animals that inhabited the low scrub, past the light trace of barest smoke that wafted through the air on tender breezes, a thrumming anticipation wrapped securely around the trees of the forest. A soft distant sound vibrated through the idyll, echoing against the low, rolling hills and cascading over the broad expanse of marshlands that might have, in years past, been a hospitable bay. The towering ancient growth of trees that lined the beaten pathway did little to muffle the sound as two cloaked figures crested the last hill and finally caught sight of the end of their journey. 

Raven kom Trikru turned her head, catching the soft smile on the face of her companion, Abby Griffin. It inevitably worked out the same, regardless of how long it had been. At the first sight of the sprawling expanse of Polis, a gentle pleasure would wash over the dedicated healer, finding expression in the sweetest of smiles. Her eyes would trace over the imposing tower that housed her daughter, Clarke, and that smile would then turn Raven's way. 

Reaching over from her seat upon her borrowed horse, Raven wrapped her hand around Abby's. "Once we take care of this, you can catch up."

Abby chuckled, her hand turning over and capturing Raven's briefly, her thumb tracing softly over the back of the warrior's hand. "I'd rather have a bath. It's been over two weeks since we've been home." Her nose wrinkled. 

Raven nudged her horse, and they began moving forward at a slow walk. "A hot bath, and you naked? My birthday isn't for months yet!" A husky laugh sounded from behind her. 

"Keep riding like that and we won't even make it to the bath. Did I ever tell you that your ass looks great in those leathers?" The teasing lilt of laughter matched the same tone they'd taken over the past few days. 

A week previous, while visiting a small village past the charred remains of the Mountain, they had been swept up in a sudden attack. Descending without warning, the incursion had been loud and chaotic. From the fires that had been lit by the time they left, it was doubtful much of the village was left. Had she not been charged personally by Heda to see to Abby's safety, Raven would have stayed and defended her people. As it was, it was the Commander's desire to see Abby Griffin safe - a worthy enough goal for any.

Possibly given deeper meaning owing to Abby's unique position within the Coalition of Clans. While a valuable woman in her own right, as the foremost healing expert in their combined territories, it was her status as Wanheda's mother that afforded her the luxury of a dedicated personal guard. 

It wasn't something Raven often bothered to worry over. Regardless of reasoning, it was her duty, and one she had borne well - evidenced by the laughing woman that followed her astride her own horse.

"Hod op." The guard at the gate who had spoken bore a single, angry scar across his cheek. His impassive gaze swept over first Raven, then Abby.

"Raven kom Trikru, escorting Abby Griffin of the Sky People." Sometimes, the customs and traditions of her people irritated at her nerves, a veritable thorn wormed deep within her boot. In this instance, the irritation did not appear. After their pell-mell flight, the steady assurance of guarded walls and hefty warrior numbers soothed her frayed nerves.

Her hands remained slack within her reins as the guard swung his gaze back to her. Another long moment stretched between them before he nodded, his hand raising into the air, fingers splayed. 

"Lukot!"

His slightly raised voice had the desired effect. The gate behind him swung open, and the two travelers entered the bustling streets of Polis, a cacophony of raised voices and striking metal flooding through the opened gate.

The gate closed behind them and the guard resumed his duty, the sounds of the city at his back muffled by the towering walls that protected them. 

Within, Raven had shortened her reins, keeping the horse to a slow walk as they wended their way toward the Commander's Tower. From a distance, the imposing structure was clearly the tallest, rising from the damp ground as though driven into it by a godly hand. Once surrounded by the squat buildings that housed the varied trades and throngs of humanity, the Tower's size shifted from merely imposing to impossibly massive. The height was such that none from the height could be spied from the ground - and when looking down from the highest balcony, the people below appeared as so many darting, minuscule black dots, barely visible against the loam and stone that comprised the streets of Polis.

She swept a weathered eye over the populace as they rode through, her mind cataloging the minute changes since she'd last ridden patrol. At spotting a guard who betrayed her recognition with a shocked raise of an eyebrow, Raven gave a nod and continued.

As they arrived at the base of the Commander's Tower, Raven dismounted, her leg swinging wide over the back of her steed. Beside her, Abby followed suit, and they handed their reins to a waiting guard, set to lead the horses to their communal stable. Tilting her head at Abby in mute question, the woman released a breath and led the way.

The first time Raven had journeyed to the height of the Commander's Tower, she had been awestruck by the remnants of what had been before. Now, her jaded gaze took in the detritus, nodding to herself at the repurposing of certain rooms. It definitely made more sense to retain armories on multiple floors rather than in a single location that was easily breached, just inside the front door. 

Part and parcel of heeding the counsel of those who did not practice tactics, she supposed.

Thankfully, Lexa had proved a capable and even handed Heda, taking in the counsel of those around her and winnowing to the most crucial aspects that were needed. Her impatience at prevarication and asinine bluster were as legendary as her bringing together of the Twelve Clans into the Coalition of Clans. 

Raven smirked slightly to herself as they approached the seat of the Commander's power. Not as legendary as the claiming of Wanheda, but still, a story told to the goufa. 

Lounging lazily across the heavily antlered seat afforded to her by her status, Lexa kom Trikru was leading the Coalition Council with the sort of studied casualness that had caused more than one of her advisers to mis-step, thinking she was uninterested - or worse, not listening. The opening of the door to the chamber had been met with a barest flick of her eyes, just enough to catch sight of the two who had disturbed the council meeting. Raven smirked at the lithe woman's deliberate relaxation as the Council's raised voices continue to argue.

"My people will starve this winter if they do not receive these shipments!" The rousing bluster from the Ambassador from the People of Shallow Valley was punctuated by his hand cutting through the air in a frustrated gesture, his fingers pointed at the Ambassador from the People of the Rocks. "We cannot support the continued pillaging of our lands!" 

Lexa shifted slightly in her seat, her shoulders adjusting against her chair. The collected Ambassadors stilled, watching her warily. 

"It seems our esteemed colleague from the lands of the Shallow Valley is operating under a misunderstanding." The quiet voice did nothing to calm the man's ire, his jaw working as he forcibly restrained his words. "To whom does everything in this Coalition belong?"

"You, Heda." The affronted ambassador ground out his words between his gritted teeth, his loyalty to his people tempered by the very real knowledge of the consequences should he do otherwise. 

Lexa's voice raised in volume, slightly. While before, it had barely risen above a whisper, it now retained a calm, steady, almost casual tone.

"Who?"

The ambassador from the Desert People cleared her throat. Her voice was steady, raised and ringing clearly through the room. "You, Heda." 

"That is correct." Lexa dropped one hand through the air in a idle wave. "As such, my people in the Shallow Valley will be afforded the resources they require, as is my right to bestow upon them." She rose from her seat, her lithe frame suffused with a subtle menace as she stepped forward, her hands coming to rest upon the table around which the Coalition Ambassadors sat in forced muteness. Her voice dropped, the surrounding delegates leaning forward to capture her speech. "And my gona will investigate as to just why my people have been deprived of their due." Her piercing gaze skewered each of the Ambassadors in turn, the threat within her words clear. "Is that understood."

As one, the Ambassadors stumbled over their assent, bowing to the Heda for her benevolence and protection. 

Raven leaned against the wall next to the door, biting the inside of her cheek to restrain her laughter. Abby stood next to her, watching as Marcus Kane, designated Ambassador for the Skaikru, was led just as easily as the rest. A flicker of a smile ghosted over her lips.

"Dismissed."

The low growl served as a spark beneath the assembled Ambassadors, each leaping up and scurrying from the room, eager to escape the oppressive atmosphere triggered by the Ambassador to the Shallow Valley. Each fled with varying degrees of concern, ire and impassiveness written across their faces. Kane paused minutely to nod to Abby on his way out. She barely dipped her head in acknowledgment of his greeting. 

The door shut with a steady thump behind the last of them.

"Do you always have to play with your food?" Raven lifted off of the wall, her lacerated side protesting at the move. Though it had been days since the village attack, the wound she had received had not quite yet healed enough to not be intermittently irritating. "You know it's not nice to play with them when they're already on their backs."

Lexa gave an abortive growl, her frustration finally given freedom to display on her features. "The insolent -" She cut herself off before giving reign to further insults to someone who was generally a valuable adviser. "The winter's supplies for Shallow Valley have gone missing as of four days ago." Raven's fist clenched. Abby glanced over at her, her brow furrowed. "None have come forward to claim the raid. The entire shipment has disappeared."

"Funny story, we may have an idea who took them." Raven swung her leg over the chair closest to Lexa and slid down into the seat, pulling a sheet of parchment from inside her jacket. She smoothed it out on the table and pressed a finger next to the odd symbol she had spied on the attackers that she and Abby had fled. "This is no Coalition mark."

Lexa's hands flexed against the surface of the table, her darkened stare boring into the parchment. 

The door slammed open and a bright haired fury stormed through, her hand curled loosely around her holstered pistol, stride unbroken as the door swung shut behind her. "The gona sent with the shipment were found three days outside of Tondisi." Clarke Griffin struck her knuckles against the surface of the table, her fist holding in place as she gave her report, leaning forward and glaring at the Heda of the Thirteen Clans. "Too bad they couldn't fuckin' well tell us anything, because they were all dead."

Lexa continued staring at the sigil, her eyes tracing over the lines as the slightest of frowns curled the edges of her mouth downward. Clarke turned her head slightly, bright blue eyes meeting the raised eyebrow of her mother with a quirked smile. 

"Hi, mom."

Abby gave her a small smile. "Hi, sweetie. Do you recognize that?" She gestured at the parchment spread before the two still warriors studying the esoteric mark. 

Clarke tilted her head, curiosity chasing away her anger as she strode forward until she could spy the symbol. "No...I've never seen this before. Unless-" She turned to Abby, one finger pointing in question. "Do you remember, it was something in one of our history classes. Something about, fuck, what was that place..."

Abby looked at the symbol again, her mind casting back to dimly remembered history courses and childish hijinks. "Was it that one that caused you to lead a revolution against a lack of cheese?"

The two warriors raised their heads to stare at the blushing Wanheda. "It was over having too many tomatoes in the salad."

"Tomatoes." Lexa raised her gaze from the parchment, an eyebrow quirked in question. "You started a revolution over tomatoes?"

"It sounded like a good idea when I was eleven."

Shaking her head, Lexa closed her eyes and gestured for them to continue. 

"It looks like this symbol for a group that was originally past the Plains Riders." At this, Lexa opened her eyes and trained them on Clarke, curiosity sparking a verdant fire behind the deep green gaze. "I can't remember it very well, and fuck if I remember the name of the group, but that's what it reminds me of." She ran a hand through her hair, her words quiet. "There used to be a lot of people over there."

"If this is true, we have been invaded." The grave tone did not brook pleasant thoughts. "And our missing supplies are the least of our concerns."

Raven cleared her throat, tapping at the momentarily ignored parchment. Above the symbol, in clearly scribed charcoal, lay a map of where she and Abby had started their recent journey. "That's kind of what we're here to tell you. We never had a chance to find out much - the village was attacked by these splita before we could really meet anyone."

Lexa growled low in her throat and turned, her hand grasping the parchment. She stalked to the large map pinned to the wall, slapping the parchment up with one hand as the other traced the lines of the map. Clarke frowned at the map from just behind Lexa, tracing her eyes over the paths that Lexa indicated. 

She swore softly as the picture became clear. "That puts them within three days ride of Tondisi."

Lexa turned her head and gave a single sharp nod. 

Raven strode to the door, throwing it open and grasping a guard by his collar. "Heda needs the war council assembled." At the guard's wide eyed response, her voice lowered to a rumbling growl and she ground out a single low, menacing word. "Now."

"Sha, Kapa!" The guard stumbled slightly as he was released by Raven. A soft voice calling from within the chamber halted him.

"Bring me Anya."

"Sha, Heda." The guard's bow was not acknowledged as Raven shut the door.

Abby slumped into one of the chairs, rubbing at her face. Clarke glanced over her shoulder, reaching a hand forward to brush against Lexa's side. A grunt indicated acquiescence, and Clarke moved to more properly greet her mother. It took but a few steps before she was sliding her arms around her mother in a much delayed greeting. With a half-sobbing laugh, Abby returned the awkward rear hug with a pat to the firmly muscled forearm that wrapped around her shoulders. "Been having fun without me?"

Clarke gave a snort. "Idiots and back assward political posturing." She released her mother and slid into the seat next to her. "The usual. Glowing Sands wants you to visit sometime this season. We were considering it, but with this development - "

Abby squeezed a hand around her daughters with a tired smile. "I'll get there eventually."

"How many were there?" Lexa had pulled another map from the low storage cabinet that had been roughly hewn from the trees that surrounded Polis. She spread it across the top, the wood worn smooth from years of use. "What was their style?" 

Raven's back curled as she leaned forward over the map with her Commander, giving a rapid briefing. Abby turned her attention back to her daughter. Lines of worry and stress had started to form around the bright blue of her daughter's eyes, first appearing after what had happened in Mount Weather. The months that had lapsed since then had not done much to lessen the burden that weighed heavily on Wanheda, a burden that was not able to be shared, but could be sympathized with. After all, how many had Abby seen consigned to the vast blackness of space?

"Think we'll get a chance to get a bath sometime today?" Abby gave a lopsided grin, the relief at being home removing much of the adrenaline that she'd been running on for days. She knew she had perhaps another hour or two before she'd pass out standing up.

"Probably. You know Lexa isn't much for long meetings."

A sharp knock at the door sounded before it swung open to admit Anya. Striding forward, the woman's striking eyes flicked over Abby quickly before she dipped her head in greeting. Abby smiled in response then tilted her chin toward Lexa. 

"Heda. As you command."

Lexa turned from the spread maps, her hips coming to rest against the low cabinet, her arms crossing over her chest. "Send riders to all cities. Have all settlements warned. There are enemies in our lands. We prepare for war."

Anya's lips twitched. "It shall be as you say, Heda." She clasped her fist over her heart in salute as she gave a half bow. 

"You will be charged with the safety of Polis and all who reside here."

This stiffened the woman's back. A previous encounter had taught her well the futility of questioning or arguing the orders from her former second, no matter how ill-equipped she felt to handle the monumentous task. Instead, she gave an abrupt nod.

"I will require a second."

Lexa smirked. "Pick one. Raven remains assigned to Abby kom Skaikru for the duration." An eyebrow raised. "Unless you mean to say she has completed her training and is worthy to lead on her own."

Anya dipped her head, her fist still pressing firmly against her chest. "As you say, Heda. Raven has learned all she can as a second."

"Raven."

The soft tones drew her upright and Raven stepped forward, not daring to show her trepidation. There was no way under the sky she was capable -

"You are charged with the safety of this Tower and all who call it home. Coordinate with Anya for what you need." Lexa fixed her with a calm stare, her lips twitching in the barest of smiles. "And pick a second that can keep up with you."

Raven bowed her head, her fist pressing against her chest in salute. "Sha, Heda."

Clasping both of them by the shoulder, Lexa broke into a wry smile. "When this finishes, we shall celebrate. But first, we defend our home."

Raven grinned, glancing over at her former first. A twinkling grin matched her own and they chorused, "Sha, Heda!"

Abby rolled her eyes. Warriors.

Within a scant few moments of Anya leaving the chamber, the war council began arriving, their armor betraying years of use. Straight backed and proud of bearing, Indra entered the chamber and saluted Lexa with her fist to her chest. 

"Heda."

Lexa scrutinized those who would comprise this war council and nodded. The door thudded shut. 

"An outside clan is in our borders, somewhere between the Shallow Valley, the Moun-de and Tondisi."

Clarke's expression remained impassive as a sharp glare was directed her way. With a drawl, she gestured to the ceiling. "There are no more living among the stars."

"We know not where this clan originates." Lexa continued before further aspersions could be cast. "Their motivations are similarly unknown. Ideas."

"Destroy them." Young, brash, the suggestion came from one of the Clarke's people, a scruffy and curly headed youngster that Lexa could not help but to dislike. It was out of respect for his sister that she barely suffered his presence.

"You fuckin' serious, Bell?" Clarke's immediate response served a better deflation of the boy's ego than Lexa could have hoped. "How about someone who knows what they're talking about try this next."

"Do we know anything about them?" 

"They fight similarly to how we do. No guns that I saw. Flame arrows. Blades." She frowned at the table top. "Not as bad as ripas. But worse than our last skirmishes." Raven met Octavia's concerned gaze directly. "No poisoned blades that I've seen so far, but that means nothing." She grimaced. "They took out the supply and gonas headed to Shallow Valley." 

"Left them off the road, in the woods." Clarke's eyes tightened at the insult. "They were either lucky or travel in a large enough group to take out our gona without raising alarm."

"And an entire village." Raven couldn't resist the urge to be helpful.

Indra leaned forward, observing the map. "How many fossopa do we have between here and Tondisi?"

Gustus rubbed his chin, contemplative. "Those that whisper with the winds, perhaps two to three dozen. Those that still stumble like a child, three times that."

Indra traced her finger in three locations - one south of Tondisi, one just near the remains of Mount Weather, and one in the lands between Trikru and Shallow Valley lands. "Three squads, here, here and here, observe and report only." She stood straight and leveled her steady gaze on Lexa. "To determine where they are, their size, and if possible, their motivation."

Octavia looked down at the map and pointed out a fourth location, just to the north of Tondisi. "We should send a fourth here, to make sure they haven't slipped through."

Indra inclined her head, acceding to the suggestion. 

Lexa contemplated the map. Something was off. Something did not - "Send our fastest gona to the village here." She pointed to where Raven and Abby had escaped. "They left something behind, and we need to know what it is." She raised her head. "Anyone else?" A long stretch of silence greeted her. "Indra, you have the command. Coordinate with who you need to and bring me that information." The war council either dipped their heads or saluted her. She observed them for a long moment, allowing the feeling of command to seep into her bones.

"Dismissed."


End file.
